The Madras High Court granted an interim order on Thursday prohibiting CTR Nirmal Kumar from making any defamatory remarks, statements, tweets, or other public statements about Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) minister Senthil Balaji until the next court hearing.
Justice C V Karthikeyan issued the order. Kumar is the chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) IT wing in Tamil Nadu. Balaji currently serves as the minister of electricity, prohibition, and excise.
Balaji claimed in a petition filed with the HC that the BJP IT wing head was routinely defaming him on Twitter and in media interviews with’vexatious and slanderous allegations’ that had no basis.
According to DMK MP P Wilson and the plaintiff’s senior council, who are representing Balaji, baseless allegations without constructive criticism harm the minister’s position.
He also claimed that no material evidence for Kumar’s ‘defamation campaign’ has been disclosed in the last six months. ‘In fact, even when a legal notice to cease and desist was issued, instead of justifying his accusations, he tweeted about the court’s notice with false and defamatory statements,’ Wilson said.
According to Wilson, Nirmal has also levelled corruption allegations against Balaji in media interviews.
Kumar has accused Balaji of being involved in the state-run liquor monopoly TASMAC (Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited) shops that illegally sell bottles for more than the MRP.
‘Senthil Balaji has filed two defamation cases. I have also sent my complaint to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI),’ Kumar told reporters a week ago.
‘There are about 5,000 bars out of which 80% are illegal. All including revenue officials, TASMAC officials, and the police are in hand with the DMK minister’ Kumar alleged.
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